State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer: Religious freedom is no excuse for delaying LGBT rights

May 5, 2014

File illustration by Dean Rohrer/Special to the Fr

Written by

Gretchen Whitmer

Detroit Free Press guest writer

Gretchen Whitmer

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It should go without saying that discrimination has no place in today’s Michigan. Laws that once promoted segregation and prevented women from voting are often considered relics of a mind-set long past.

Yet even today, as we attempt to tout Michigan as an open and welcoming place for employers and employees alike, lawmakers continue to stonewall efforts to back that ideal up by providing the most basic civil rights protections to Michigan’s LGBT community. And they’re doing so by using the same cries of “religious freedom” that defenders of discrimination against women and minorities used to fight progress for decades.

I have news for them: Their religious freedom does not trump another’s constitutional right to equal protection under the law. To use that argument to justify discrimination against a single Michigan resident is a disservice to the countless others whose faith itself is deeply rooted in a belief in equality.

The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act was written and passed in 1976 and bans discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight and marital status. While there are many of us who have been fighting to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to that list to ensure that LGBT citizens cannot be denied housing or even fired from their jobs for simply being who they are, the law currently does not provide them those fundamental protections.

Over the last few weeks, I read two passionate and articulate opinion pieces written by two young gay men living in Michigan. One was leaving the state because of our archaic and intolerant laws. The other was staying in spite of them. Most important, neither felt wanted and accepted as who they are by our state government, and as we try to attract and retain talent in Michigan and appeal to young, creative and vibrant professionals, our outdated state policies aren’t doing us any favors.

Michigan’s business community is taking note and expressing support of the expansion of Elliott-Larsen. Business Leaders for Michigan is challenging our state to pass an anti-discrimination law that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers as part of the 2014 Michigan Turnaround Plan, which is designed to make Michigan a top 10 state for jobs, personal income and a healthy economy. They rightly see that enshrining civil rights protections for the LGBT community is an integral part of that.

Additionally, a new group called the Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition (MCWC) formed this past week with the intent to push for the expansion of Elliott-Larsen in Michigan. It is headed by the leaders of some of Michigan’s largest employers, including AT&T and Herman Miller, who also understand the need for laws that promote equality as we work to grow our economy.

Despite this growing coalition of business leaders supporting equality for all, there are those in Lansing who continue to stall and hide behind the tired idea that protecting “religious freedom” makes it complicated to take action.

They’re wrong.

Support for expanding civil rights for LGBT citizens is growing in Michigan. It makes common sense. It makes business sense. And it’s time for Michigan’s elected officials to act accordingly and stop using outdated arguments to justify their delay on something as fundamental as basic civil rights.